Hamilton's city centre will be turned into a hi-tech security zone by the end of June -- with 30 CCTV cameras in place.

The Corporation of Hamilton is finalising a deal to link up the camera control room at Police headquarters with a fibre-optic cable already laid around the City.

And The Royal Gazette has learnt that most of the cameras will be placed at key spots in the grid between Bermudiana Road, Parliament Street, Front Street and Victoria Street.

Other cameras will be installed at Hamilton bus station and the Bull's Head multi-storey car park as part of the $1.25 million project.

But there will be no cameras along the notorious Court Street because nightclub owners do not want customers driven away.

Corporation Secretary Roger Sherratt said cameras would start to be placed within two months.

And he said more could be bought for places like Court Street -- if there was a clamour for cameras from residents.

"We are in the process of concluding an agreement with a local company to carry the CCTV signals to Police headquarters,'' said Mr. Sherratt.

"We are optimistic that deal will be done within two weeks. There is already a fibre-optic ring around the city and that will link up with the control centre at Prospect.'' The cameras, which will be around 20 feet high and can pan, tilt and zoom, and will be monitored 24 hours a day by Police.

But Mr. Sherratt said privacy would be safeguarded and any officer not operating the camera "for its proper use'' would face disciplinary action.

"The major consideration is that Hamilton will be a safer city,'' he added.

"The benefits far outweigh the negatives, we have been shown that CCTV cameras have been a success in the UK and the response we've had from the public has been good.

"Our aim now is to have the whole system installed and operating by the end of June, with the work starting within a couple of months.'' Precise locations for the cameras have already been identified and the Corporation is waiting for final written approval to use private buildings.

Mr. Sherratt said: "None of our cameras will be hidden and they will be in full view.

"Police analysis has helped us pick the best locations and most of them will be built onto the side of buildings.

"But some will be placed on poles which we will put up for the purpose, for instance at Bull's Head.

"Around 70 percent of the people who use that car park are women and quite a number work late into the evenings so the cameras, both inside and outside, will provide extra protection.

"They also operate well under low light conditions. One area that we are not covering at this point is North Hamilton where there's a fairly high residential population.

"The North Hamilton Business Association and the United Bar Owners' Association, who own some bars and clubs on Court Street, specifically asked that the cameras were not installed in their area.

"But there is flexibility in our system, we are bearing the future in mind and if residents want the cameras, we will re-open negotiations.'' The 30 cameras, to be ordered in a few weeks, will be distributed around the central Hamilton street grid, the bus station and the car park.

"The docks area will also be well covered so the cameras can monitor activity on the cruise and cargo ships,'' said Mr. Sherratt.

"There will be cameras right along Front Street. We are stressing that this is not a substitute for policemen on patrol but this will add to the Police presence in Hamilton.

Date fixed for security cameras "One of the main benefits could be to clamp down on bike thefts. Stealing bikes is a $3 million business in Bermuda.

"It's the biggest single problem in this city and now we are having increased incidents of violence and things like handbag thefts from tourists on Front Street.'' Former Police Commissioner Colin Coxall started the CCTV project two years ago after supervising the installation of cameras in the City of London.

UK-based consultants Symonds Travers Morgan are providing technical advice on cameras, which will be bought from the US or Canada through a Bermuda distributor.